COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANISMS OF HARDENING THE SURFACE OF RAIL HEADS AFTER OPERATION IN EXTREMAL CONDITIONS

Authors

  • N. A. POPOVA Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Russia, Tomsk Author
  • V. E. GROMOV Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk Author
  • O. V. SHUGAEV Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk Author
  • R. E. KRYUKOV Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk Author
  • N. A. KOZYREV I. P. Bardin Central Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy, Russia, Moscow Author
  • M. A. PORFIR'EV Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk Author
  • YU. A. SHLYAROVA Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32339/0135-5910-2026-9-38-47

Keywords:

fillet, hardening mechanisms, operation, hypereutectoid steel, morphological component

Abstract

A significant increase in the intensity of railway traffic and its load capacity requires high operational durability of the rails. To solve these problems, the technology of differentiated hardening of 100-meter rails made of hypereutectoid steel, which was launched in Russia in 2018, is used. A quantitative assessment of the physical mechanisms of hardening of the rail head made of hypereutectoid steel along the radius of rounding of the fillet after prolonged operation on the East Siberian Railway (passed tonnage of 175.9 million tons) was performed. The assessment was carried out in various morphological components and in general in terms of material at various distances from the contact surface “wheel – rail” 0, 2, 10 mm. Contributions due to crystal lattice friction, solid-solution strengthening, perlite strengthening, incoherent cementite particles, grain and sub-grain boundaries, dislocation substructure, and internal stress fields are estimated. It is found that the main strengthening mechanisms are internal elastic long-range (local) stress strengthening, as well as substructure strengthening and incoherent particle strengthening. The possible causes of various mechanisms of strengthening the surface layers of the rail head after operation in real extreme conditions on the East Siberian Railway have been discussed.

Author Biographies

  • N. A. POPOVA, Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Russia, Tomsk

    PhD (Tech.), Senior Researcher of the Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Educational and Scientific Laboratory

  • V. E. GROMOV, Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk

    HD (Phys.-Math.), Professor, Head of the Finkel Department of Natural Sciences

  • O. V. SHUGAEV, Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk

    Senior Lecturer of the Department of Transport and Logistics

  • R. E. KRYUKOV, Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk

    HD (Tech.), Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering

  • N. A. KOZYREV, I. P. Bardin Central Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy, Russia, Moscow

    HD (Tech.), Professor of the Department of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering

  • M. A. PORFIR'EV, Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk

    Junior Researcher of the Department of Scientific Research

  • YU. A. SHLYAROVA, Siberian State Industrial University, Russia, Novokuznetsk

    PhD (Tech.), Senior Lecturer of the Finkel Department of Natural Sciences

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Published

2026-11-13

Issue

Vol. 82 No. 9 (2026)

Section

Металловедение и термическая обработка

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How to Cite

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANISMS OF HARDENING THE SURFACE OF RAIL HEADS AFTER OPERATION IN EXTREMAL CONDITIONS. (2026). Ferrous Metallurgy. Bulletin of Scientific , Technical and Economic Information, 82(9), 38–47. https://doi.org/10.32339/0135-5910-2026-9-38-47